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Frederick, Maryland – The problem of impaired-driving is a serious one. While America witnessed a decline in the number of impaired-driving fatalities from 2007-2008, the numbers are still too high. That’s why the Frederick Police Department announced today they are joining with other federal, state and local highway safety and law enforcement officials across the nation in support of an intensive crackdown on impaired driving this November and December throughout the Holidays.

The Frederick Police Department, along with their local and State law enforcement partners in Frederick County, will have saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints before and during the holidays in an effort to prevent and reduce traffic accidents. We also will support any DUI Check Points conducted by the Mid Western Highway Safety Task Force under Checkpoint Strikeforce.

On October 1st, a newly enacted law went into effect throughout the state of Maryland. It has been referred to as the “Move-Over” law and is designed to increase the safety of first responders stopped alongside the roadways throughout the State.

The purpose of this law is to provide an increased layer of separation between the law enforcement officer, fire/rescue personnel, and/or motorists stopped on the shoulder of a highway. This is accomplished by motorists either safely moving out of the travel lane next to where the emergency vehicle - operating it’s emergency lights is, or if that is not possible, to reduce their speed while passing the stopped emergency vehicle.

Maryland residents and those residents who travel through Maryland need to know that on Friday, October 1, 2010 (this Friday) - cell phone use will become illegal while driving. The offense will be a "secondary" offense, meaning that offenders can only be cited with it if they are pulled over for another primary offense like speeding or running a red light.

Beginning on Friday, people who wish to make a call while driving MUST use a hands free device. The fine will be $40 for the first offense and $100 for subsequent violations of the law.

Texting while driving has been illegal for some time now and already carries a fine.

Maryland is following suit with several other states with cellular phone bans while in operation of a motor vehicle, but it is one of the only (if not the only) state to list the law as a "secondary" offense.